When I first heard about Project Hail Mary coming out, I was really excited. I am a big fan of science fiction films and novels; I had also heard a lot of hype about the movie, with no bad reviews. My roommate and I decided to go to the movie in theaters at an 11 pm showing.
I spent nearly 3 hours glued to the screen. I felt completely immersed in the story, and at no point was I bored or eager to leave. With so many movies recently, I have found myself often distracted and tend to check my phone. I will be the first to admit that my attention span is not something to be desired. I am a pretty impatient person and get bored easily, but this movie exceeded my expectations.
I think it’s pretty difficult to keep a story interesting and compelling for almost 3 hours, but Project Hail Mary made it seem easy. Even the slower moments were still captivating and integral to the plot and characters. I also think that watching this movie in the theater really improves the experience. Seeing the characters and beautiful scenery of space on the big screen in pitch black just makes the whole experience so much better.
Before going into the film, I was a little skeptical of seeing Ryan Gosling in yet another movie. I felt as though I had seen him on screen so many times that I would get tired of him or simply believe him to be Ryan Gosling and no one else. I would be proven very wrong. I think Gosling did an incredible job portraying his character and making me truly believe he was Ryland Grace and not Ryan Gosling.
I was also a little skeptical of how I would perceive the alien portrayed in the film, named Rocky. From watching the trailers, I had a hard time believing I would feel totally compelled by some talking rock. I would, once again, be very wrong. I had no issues suspending my disbelief and falling in love with his character.
When it comes to science fiction, however, I typically have no problem suspending disbelief. I am not a STEM person and feel no urge to understand the science behind what is going on. So, if you’re wondering if the film was scientifically accurate, I am not the girl to ask. As an English major and liberal arts student, to my core, I still found the film pretty easy to follow despite the scientific jargon. I would say that the ideas are accessible to everyone and not something you have to have extensive knowledge of.
If I am being nitpicky and trying to find things in this movie to critique, the only thing I would mention is that the ending scene is a little cheesy and not quite the direction I would have preferred, but that is me trying to look for issues in the film.
Overall, I was utterly impressed by Project Hail Mary. I have not seen a movie that good come out in recent years, and I was extremely happy with it. It was the perfect blend of funny, emotional, and thought-provoking. It felt a lot like some of the science fiction movies I used to love that came out years ago.